Say hello to Robert Levine, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at California State University, Fresno, and the author of multiple books including The Power of Persuasion: How We're Bought and Sold. The book explains how we're influenced and manipulated through persuasion, and how we can resist it. It covers a broad spectrum, from how we're talked into spending money, to how people are convinced to join cults. While researching the book, Robert spent time as a car salesman and a door-to-door salesman. Have questions? He's hanging out for the next hour—ask away!

This post is part of our Evil Week series at Lifehacker, where we look at the dark side of getting things done. Knowing evil means knowing how to beat it, so you can use your sinister powers for good. Want more? Check out our evil week tag page.